The Micro-Environment of a Natural Lizard Nest

perature cycle of the nest of any squamate. Knowledge of nest micro-environments is urgently needed in order to evaluate work on physiological tolerances of squamate eggs. Two species of gekkonid lizards which lay calcareous-shelled eggs have been the subject of a population study in a commercially exploited forest in northern New South Wales, Australia for six years (Bustard, 1968, 1969a, b). One (Gehyra variegata) is strictly arboreal, the other (Heteronotia binoei) is terrestrial. Both species almost always lay their eggs under cover on the ground. Because the eggs were not camouflaged, as they are in many gecko species (Bustard, 1957, 1965), nests were easily found and over 120 have been examined. Nine nests were found near